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Van der Watt ASJ, Du Plessis S, Ahmed F, Roos A, Lesch E, Seedat S. Hippocampus, amygdala, and insula activation in response to romantic relationship dissolution stimuli: A case-case-control fMRI study on emerging adult students. J Affect Disord 2024; 356:604-615. [PMID: 38631423 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.04.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Romantic relationship dissolutions (RRDs) are associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Functional magnetic resonance imaging in RRD studies indicate overlapping neural activation similar to posttraumatic stress disorder. These studies combine real and hypothetical rejection, and lack contextual information and control and/or comparison groups exposed to non-RRD or DSM-5 defined traumatic events. AIM We investigated blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activation in the hippocampus, amygdala, and insula of participants with RRDs compared with other traumatic or non-trauma stressors. METHODS Emerging adults (mean age = 21.54 years; female = 74.7 %) who experienced an RRD (n = 36), DSM-5 defined trauma (physical and/or sexual assault: n = 15), or a non-RRD or DSM-5 stressor (n = 28) completed PTSS, depression, childhood trauma, lifetime trauma exposure, and attachment measures. We used a general and customised version of the International Affective Picture System to investigate responses to index-trauma-related stimuli. We used mixed linear models to assess between-group differences, and ANOVAs and Spearman's correlations to analyse factors associated with BOLD activation. RESULTS BOLD activity increased between index-trauma stimuli as compared to neutral stimuli in the hippocampus and amygdala, with no significant difference between the DSM-5 Trauma and RRD groups. Childhood adversity, sexual orientation, and attachment style were associated with BOLD activation changes. Breakup characteristics (e.g., initiator status) were associated with increased BOLD activation in the hippocampus and amygdala, in the RRD group. CONCLUSION RRDs should be considered as potentially traumatic events. Breakup characteristics are risk factors for experiencing RRDs as traumatic. LIMITATION Future studies should consider more diverse representation across sex, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S J Van der Watt
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
| | - S Du Plessis
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa; SAMRC Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - F Ahmed
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
| | - A Roos
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - E Lesch
- Department of Psychology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - S Seedat
- Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa; SAMRC Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa
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Butler ER, Samia N, White S, Gratton C, Nusslock R. Neuroimmune mechanisms connecting violence with internalizing symptoms: A high-dimensional multimodal mediation analysis. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26615. [PMID: 38339956 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Violence exposure is associated with worsening anxiety and depression symptoms among adolescents. Mechanistically, social defeat stress models in mice indicate that violence increases peripherally derived macrophages in threat appraisal regions of the brain, which have been causally linked to anxious behavior. In the present study, we investigate if there is a path connecting violence exposure with internalizing symptom severity through peripheral inflammation and amygdala connectivity. Two hundred and thirty-three adolescents, ages 12-15, from the Chicago area completed clinical assessments, immune assays and neuroimaging. A high-dimensional multimodal mediation model was fit, using violence exposure as the predictor, 12 immune variables as the first set of mediators and 288 amygdala connectivity variables as the second set, and internalizing symptoms as the primary outcome measure. 56.2% of the sample had been exposed to violence in their lifetime. Amygdala-hippocampus connectivity mediated the association between violence exposure and internalizing symptoms (ζ ̂ Hipp π ̂ Hipp = 0.059 $$ {\hat{\zeta}}_{\mathrm{Hipp}}{\hat{\pi}}_{\mathrm{Hipp}}=0.059 $$ ,95 % CI boot = 0.009,0.134 $$ 95\%{\mathrm{CI}}_{\mathrm{boot}}=\left[\mathrm{0.009,0.134}\right] $$ ). There was no evidence that inflammation or inflammation and amygdala connectivity in tandem mediated the association. Considering the amygdala and the hippocampus work together to encode, consolidate, and retrieve contextual fear memories, violence exposure may be associated with greater connectivity between the amygdala and the hippocampus because it could be adaptive for the amygdala and the hippocampus to be in greater communication following violence exposure to facilitate evaluation of contextual threat cues. Therefore, chronic elevations of amygdala-hippocampal connectivity may indicate persistent vigilance that leads to internalizing symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellyn R Butler
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Noelle Samia
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Stuart White
- Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Caterina Gratton
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Robin Nusslock
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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Bürger Z, Müller VI, Hoffstaedter F, Habel U, Gur RC, Windischberger C, Moser E, Derntl B, Kogler L. Stressor-Specific Sex Differences in Amygdala-Frontal Cortex Networks. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12030865. [PMID: 36769521 PMCID: PMC9918214 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12030865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Females and males differ in stress reactivity, coping, and the prevalence rates of stress-related disorders. According to a neurocognitive framework of stress coping, the functional connectivity between the amygdala and frontal regions (including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)) plays a key role in how people deal with stress. In the current study, we investigated the effects of sex and stressor type in a within-subject counterbalanced design on the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the amygdala and these frontal regions in 77 healthy participants (40 females). Both stressor types led to changes in subjective ratings, with decreasing positive affect and increasing negative affect and anger. Females showed higher amygdala-vACC and amygdala-mPFC rsFC for social exclusion than for achievement stress, and compared to males. Whereas a higher amygdala-vACC rsFC indicates the activation of emotion processing and coping, a higher amygdala-mPFC rsFC indicates feelings of reward and social gain, highlighting the positive effects of social affiliation. Thus, for females, feeling socially affiliated might be more fundamental than for males. Our data indicate interactions of sex and stressor in amygdala-frontal coupling, which translationally contributes to a better understanding of the sex differences in prevalence rates and stress coping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoé Bürger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Centre for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Correspondence: (Z.B.); (L.K.); Tel.: +49-(0)-707129-85736 (Z.B.)
| | - Veronika I. Müller
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-7, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Felix Hoffstaedter
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-7, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- JARA BRAIN Institute I, Translational Brain Medicine, 52428 Jülich, Germany
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Neuropsychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Christian Windischberger
- High-Field MR Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Centre for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ewald Moser
- High-Field MR Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Centre for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Centre for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- LEAD Graduate School and Research Network, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lydia Kogler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Centre for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Correspondence: (Z.B.); (L.K.); Tel.: +49-(0)-707129-85736 (Z.B.)
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Gothard KM, Fuglevand AJ. The role of the amygdala in processing social and affective touch. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022; 43:46-53. [PMID: 35602667 PMCID: PMC9119433 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The amygdala plays a central role in emotion and social behavior, yet its role in processing social and affective touch is not well established. Longitudinal studies reveal that touch-deprived infants show later in life exaggerated emotional reactivity related to structural and functional changes in the amygdala and other brain structures. The internal organization and connectivity of the amygdala is well-suited to process the sensory features of tactile stimuli and also the socio-cognitive dimensions of the received touch. The convergent processing of bottom-up and top-down pathways that carry information about touch results in the elaboration of context appropriate autonomic responses. Indeed, the positive value of affective touch in humans and social grooming in non-human primates is correlated with vagal tone and the release of oxytocin and endogenous opioids. Grooming, the non-human primate equivalent of affective touch in humans, reduces vigilance, that depends on the amygdala. During touch-induced vagal tone and low vigilance, neural activity in the amygdala is substantially different from activity corresponding to the attentive processing of tactile stimuli. Under these circumstances neurons no longer respond phasically to each touch stimulus, rather they signal a sustained functional state in which the amygdala appears decoupled from monitoring the external environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katalin M Gothard
- Departments of Physiology and Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Andrew J Fuglevand
- Departments of Physiology and Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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5
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Atabek O, Şavklıyıldız A, Orhon G, Colak OH, Özdemir A, Şenol U. The effect of anxiety on mathematical thinking: An fMRI study on 12th-grade students. LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2021.101779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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6
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Simon JJ, Stopyra MA, Mönning E, Sailer S, Lavandier N, Kihm LP, Bendszus M, Preissl H, Herzog W, Friederich HC. Neuroimaging of hypothalamic mechanisms related to glucose metabolism in anorexia nervosa and obesity. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:4094-4103. [PMID: 32315289 DOI: 10.1172/jci136782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDGiven the heightened tolerance to self-starvation in anorexia nervosa (AN), a hypothalamic dysregulation of energy and glucose homeostasis has been hypothesized. Therefore, we investigated whether hypothalamic reactivity to glucose metabolism is impaired in AN.METHODSTwenty-four participants with AN, 28 normal-weight participants, and 24 healthy participants with obesity underwent 2 MRI sessions in a single-blind, randomized, case-controlled crossover study. We used an intragastric infusion of glucose and water to bypass the cephalic phase of food intake. The responsivity of the hypothalamus and the crosstalk of the hypothalamus with reward-related brain regions were investigated using high-resolution MRI.RESULTSNormal-weight control participants displayed the expected glucose-induced deactivation of hypothalamic activation, whereas patients with AN and participants with obesity showed blunted hypothalamic reactivity. Furthermore, patients with AN displayed blunted reactivity in the nucleus accumbens and amygdala. Compared with the normal-weight participants and control participants with obesity, the patients with AN failed to show functional connectivity between the hypothalamus and the reward-related brain regions during water infusion relative to glucose infusion. Finally, the patients with AN displayed typical baseline levels of peripheral appetite hormones during a negative energy balance.CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that blunted hypothalamic glucose reactivity might be related to the pathophysiology of AN. This study provides insights for future research, as it is an extended perspective of the traditional primary nonhomeostatic understanding of the disease.FUNDINGThis study was supported by a grant from the DFG (SI 2087/2-1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe J Simon
- Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marion A Stopyra
- Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Esther Mönning
- Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Sailer
- Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nora Lavandier
- Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lars P Kihm
- Endocrinology and Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine I, and
| | - Martin Bendszus
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hubert Preissl
- fMEG Center, Helmholtz Center Munich, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases of the Helmholtz Center Munich (IDM) at the University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), Tübingen, Germany.,Division of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Angiology, Nephrology and Clinical Chemistry, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Interfaculty Centre for Pharmacogenomics and Pharma Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Diabetes Centre, Helmholtz Centre Munich, German Research Centre for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Herzog
- Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hans-Christoph Friederich
- Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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7
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Bollmann S, Barth M. New acquisition techniques and their prospects for the achievable resolution of fMRI. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 207:101936. [PMID: 33130229 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
This work reviews recent advances in technologies for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the human brain and highlights the push for higher functional specificity based on increased spatial resolution and specific MR contrasts to reveal previously undetectable functional properties of small-scale cortical structures. We discuss how the combination of MR hardware, advanced acquisition techniques and various MR contrast mechanisms have enabled recent progress in functional neuroimaging. However, these advanced fMRI practices have only been applied to a handful of neuroscience questions to date, with the majority of the neuroscience community still using conventional imaging techniques. We thus discuss upcoming challenges and possibilities for fMRI technology development in human neuroscience. We hope that readers interested in functional brain imaging acquire an understanding of current and novel developments and potential future applications, even if they don't have a background in MR physics or engineering. We summarize the capabilities of standard fMRI acquisition schemes with pointers to relevant literature and comprehensive reviews and introduce more recent developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Bollmann
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Markus Barth
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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8
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Bhandari R, Kirilina E, Caan M, Suttrup J, De Sanctis T, De Angelis L, Keysers C, Gazzola V. Does higher sampling rate (multiband + SENSE) improve group statistics - An example from social neuroscience block design at 3T. Neuroimage 2020; 213:116731. [PMID: 32173409 PMCID: PMC7181191 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiband (MB) or Simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) acquisition schemes allow the acquisition of MRI signals from more than one spatial coordinate at a time. Commercial availability has brought this technique within the reach of many neuroscientists and psychologists. Most early evaluation of the performance of MB acquisition employed resting state fMRI or the most basic tasks. In this study, we tested whether the advantages of using MB acquisition schemes generalize to group analyses using a cognitive task more representative of typical cognitive neuroscience applications. Twenty-three subjects were scanned on a Philips 3 T scanner using five sequences, up to eight-fold acceleration with MB-factors 1 to 4, SENSE factors up to 2 and corresponding TRs of 2.45s down to 0.63s, while they viewed (i) movie blocks showing complex actions with hand object interactions and (ii) control movie blocks without hand object interaction. Data were processed using a widely used analysis pipeline implemented in SPM12 including the unified segmentation and canonical HRF modelling. Using random effects group-level, voxel-wise analysis we found that all sequences were able to detect the basic action observation network known to be recruited by our task. The highest t-values were found for sequences with MB4 acceleration. For the MB1 sequence, a 50% bigger voxel volume was needed to reach comparable t-statistics. The group-level t-values for resting state networks (RSNs) were also highest for MB4 sequences. Here the MB1 sequence with larger voxel size did not perform comparable to the MB4 sequence. Altogether, we can thus recommend the use of MB4 (and SENSE 1.5 or 2) on a Philips scanner when aiming to perform group-level analyses using cognitive block design fMRI tasks and voxel sizes in the range of cortical thickness (e.g. 2.7 mm isotropic). While results will not be dramatically changed by the use of multiband, our results suggest that MB will bring a moderate but significant benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Bhandari
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, KNAW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Evgeniya Kirilina
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Free University, Berlin, Germany; Max Plank Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthan Caan
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Biomedical Engineering & Physics, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Judith Suttrup
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, KNAW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Teresa De Sanctis
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, KNAW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lorenzo De Angelis
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, KNAW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Christian Keysers
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, KNAW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Valeria Gazzola
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, KNAW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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9
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Anteraper SA, Collin G, Guell X, Scheinert T, Molokotos E, Henriksen MT, Mesholam-Gately R, Thermenos HW, Seidman LJ, Keshavan MS, Gabrieli JDE, Whitfield-Gabrieli S. Altered resting-state functional connectivity in young children at familial high risk for psychotic illness: A preliminary study. Schizophr Res 2020; 216:496-503. [PMID: 31801673 PMCID: PMC7239744 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Multiple lines of evidence suggest that illness development in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders predates the first psychotic episode by many years. In this study, we examined a sample of 15 pre-adolescent children, ages 7 through 12 years, who are at familial high-risk (FHR) because they have a parent or sibling with a history of schizophrenia or related psychotic disorder. Using multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA), a data-driven fMRI analysis, we assessed whole-brain differences in functional connectivity in the FHR sample as compared to an age- and sex-matched control (CON) group of 15 children without a family history of psychosis. MVPA analysis yielded a single cluster in right posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG/BA 22) showing significant group-differences in functional connectivity. Post-hoc characterization of this cluster through seed-to-voxel analysis revealed mostly reduced functional connectivity of the pSTG seed to a set of language and default mode network (DMN) associated brain regions including Heschl's gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus extending into fusiform gyrus, (para)hippocampus, thalamus, and a cerebellar cluster encompassing mainly Crus I/II. A height-threshold of whole-brain p < .001 (two-sided), and FDR-corrected cluster-threshold of p < .05 (non-parametric statistics) was used for post-hoc characterization. These findings suggest that abnormalities in functional communication in a network encompassing right STG and associated brain regions are present before adolescence in at-risk children and may be a risk marker for psychosis. Subsequent changes in this functional network across development may contribute to either disease manifestation or resilience in children with a familial vulnerability for psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheeba Arnold Anteraper
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Alan and Lorraine Bressler Clinical and Research Program for Autism Spectrum Disorder, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Guusje Collin
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Xavier Guell
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Timothy Scheinert
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elena Molokotos
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maria Toft Henriksen
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Raquelle Mesholam-Gately
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heidi W. Thermenos
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Larry J Seidman
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matcheri S. Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John D. E. Gabrieli
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA,Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
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10
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Improving sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of individual brainstem activation. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:2823-2838. [PMID: 31435738 PMCID: PMC6778541 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-01936-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Functional imaging of the brainstem may open new avenues for clinical diagnostics. However, for reliable assessments of brainstem activation, further efforts improving signal quality are needed. Six healthy subjects performed four repeated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sessions on different days with jaw clenching as a motor task to elicit activation in the trigeminal motor nucleus. Functional images were acquired with a 7 T MR scanner using an optimized multiband EPI sequence. Activation measures in the trigeminal nucleus and a control region were assessed using different physiological noise correction methods (aCompCor and RETROICOR-based approaches with variable numbers of regressors) combined with cerebrospinal fluid or brainstem masking. Receiver-operating characteristic analyses accounting for sensitivity and specificity, activation overlap analyses to estimate the reproducibility between sessions, and intraclass correlation analyses (ICC) for testing reliability between subjects and sessions were used to systematically compare the physiological noise correction approaches. Masking the brainstem led to increased activation in the target ROI and resulted in higher values for the area under the curve (AUC) as a combined measure for sensitivity and specificity. With the highest values for AUC, activation overlap, and ICC, the most favorable physiological noise correction method was to control for the cerebrospinal fluid time series (aCompCor with one regressor). Brainstem motor nuclei activation can be reliably identified using high-field fMRI with optimized acquisition and processing strategies—even on single-subject level. Applying specific physiological noise correction methods improves reproducibility and reliability of brainstem activation encouraging future clinical applications.
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Motyka S, Moser P, Hingerl L, Hangel G, Heckova E, Strasser B, Eckstein K, Daniel Robinson S, Poser BA, Gruber S, Trattnig S, Bogner W. The influence of spatial resolution on the spectral quality and quantification accuracy of whole-brain MRSI at 1.5T, 3T, 7T, and 9.4T. Magn Reson Med 2019; 82:551-565. [PMID: 30932248 PMCID: PMC6563461 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Inhomogeneities in the static magnetic field (B0 ) deteriorate MRSI data quality by lowering the spectral resolution and SNR. MRSI with low spatial resolution is also prone to lipid bleeding. These problems are increasingly problematic at ultra-high fields. An approach to tackling these challenges independent of B0 -shim hardware is to increase the spatial resolution. Therefore, we investigated the effect of improved spatial resolution on spectral quality and quantification at 4 field strengths. METHODS Whole-brain MRSI data was simulated for 3 spatial resolutions and 4 B0 s based on experimentally acquired MRI data and simulated free induction decay signals of metabolites and lipids. To compare the spectral quality and quantification, we derived SNR normalized to the voxel size (nSNR), linewidth and metabolite concentration ratios, their Cramer-Rao-lower-bounds (CRLBs), and the absolute percentage error (APE) of estimated concentrations compared to the gold standard for the whole-brain and 8 brain regions. RESULTS At 7T, we found up to a 3.4-fold improved nSNR (in the frontal lobe) and a 2.8-fold reduced linewidth (in the temporal lobe) for 1 cm3 versus 0.25 cm3 resolution. This effect was much more pronounced at higher and less homogenous B0 (1.6-fold improved nSNR and 1.8-fold improved linewidth in the parietal lobe at 3T). This had direct implications for quantification: the volume of reliably quantified spectra increased with resolution by 1.2-fold and 1.5-fold (when thresholded by CRLBs or APE, respectively). CONCLUSION MRSI data quality benefits from increased spatial resolution particularly at higher B0 , and leads to more reliable metabolite quantification. In conjunction with the development of better B0 shimming hardware, this will enable robust whole-brain MRSI at ultra-high field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav Motyka
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp Moser
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lukas Hingerl
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gilbert Hangel
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva Heckova
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Strasser
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Radiology, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Korbinian Eckstein
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Daniel Robinson
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Benedikt A Poser
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Stephan Gruber
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Siegfried Trattnig
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Christian Doppler Laboratory for Clinical Molecular MR Imaging, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Bogner
- High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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12
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The Impact of Echo Time Shifts and Temporal Signal Fluctuations on BOLD Sensitivity in Presurgical Planning at 7 T. Invest Radiol 2019; 54:340-348. [PMID: 30724813 DOI: 10.1097/rli.0000000000000546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Gradients in the static magnetic field caused by tissues with differing magnetic susceptibilities lead to regional variations in the effective echo time, which modifies both image signal and BOLD sensitivity. Local echo time changes are not considered in the most commonly used metric for BOLD sensitivity, temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR), but may be significant, particularly at ultrahigh field close to air cavities (such as the sinuses and ear canals) and near gross brain pathologies and postoperative sites. MATERIALS AND METHODS We have studied the effect of local variations in echo time and tSNR on BOLD sensitivity in 3 healthy volunteers and 11 patients with tumors, postoperative cavities, and venous malformations at 7 T. Temporal signal-to-noise ratio was estimated from a 5-minute run of resting state echo planar imaging with a nominal echo time of 22 milliseconds. Maps of local echo time were derived from the phase of a multiecho GE scan. One healthy volunteer performed 10 runs of a breath-hold task. The t-map from this experiment served as a criterion standard BOLD sensitivity measure. Two runs of a less demanding breath-hold paradigm were used for patients. RESULTS In all subjects, a strong reduction in the echo time (from 22 milliseconds to around 11 milliseconds) was found close to the ear canals and sinuses. These regions were characterized by high tSNR but low t-values in breath-hold t-maps. In some patients, regions of particular interest in presurgical planning were affected by reductions in the echo time to approximately 13-15 milliseconds. These included the primary motor cortex, Broca's area, and auditory cortex. These regions were characterized by high tSNR values (70 and above). Breath-hold results were corrupted by strong motion artifacts in all patients. CONCLUSIONS Criterion standard BOLD sensitivity estimation using hypercapnic experiments is challenging, especially in patient populations. Taking into consideration the tSNR, commonly used for BOLD sensitivity estimation, but ignoring local reductions in the echo time (eg, from 22 to 11 milliseconds), would erroneously suggest functional sensitivity sufficient to map BOLD signal changes. It is therefore important to consider both local variations in the echo time and temporal variations in signal, using the product metric of these two indices for instance. This should ensure a reliable estimation of BOLD sensitivity and to facilitate the identification of potential false-negative results. This is particularly true at high fields, such as 7 T and in patients with large pathologies and postoperative cavities.
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13
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Jahanian H, Holdsworth S, Christen T, Wu H, Zhu K, Kerr AB, Middione MJ, Dougherty RF, Moseley M, Zaharchuk G. Advantages of short repetition time resting-state functional MRI enabled by simultaneous multi-slice imaging. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 311:122-132. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2018.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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14
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Tahedl M, Levine SM, Greenlee MW, Weissert R, Schwarzbach JV. Functional Connectivity in Multiple Sclerosis: Recent Findings and Future Directions. Front Neurol 2018; 9:828. [PMID: 30364281 PMCID: PMC6193088 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating disorder resulting from scattered lesions in the central nervous system. Because of the high variability of the lesion patterns between patients, it is difficult to relate existing biomarkers to symptoms and their progression. The scattered nature of lesions in multiple sclerosis offers itself to be studied through the lens of network analyses. Recent research into multiple sclerosis has taken such a network approach by making use of functional connectivity. In this review, we briefly introduce measures of functional connectivity and how to compute them. We then identify several common observations resulting from this approach: (a) high likelihood of altered connectivity in deep-gray matter regions, (b) decrease of brain modularity, (c) hemispheric asymmetries in connectivity alterations, and (d) correspondence of behavioral symptoms with task-related and task-unrelated networks. We propose incorporating such connectivity analyses into longitudinal studies in order to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms affected by multiple sclerosis, which can consequently offer a promising route to individualizing imaging-related biomarkers for multiple sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Tahedl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Institute for Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Seth M. Levine
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Mark W. Greenlee
- Institute for Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Robert Weissert
- Department of Neurology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jens V. Schwarzbach
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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15
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Puckett AM, Bollmann S, Poser BA, Palmer J, Barth M, Cunnington R. Using multi-echo simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) EPI to improve functional MRI of the subcortical nuclei of the basal ganglia at ultra-high field (7T). Neuroimage 2017; 172:886-895. [PMID: 29208571 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The nuclei of the basal ganglia pose a special problem for functional MRI, especially at ultra-high field, because T2* variations between different regions result in suboptimal BOLD sensitivity when using gradient-echo echo-planar imaging (EPI). Specifically, the iron-rich lentiform nucleus of the basal ganglia, including the putamen and globus pallidus, suffers from substantial signal loss when imaging is performed using conventional single-echo EPI with echo times optimized for the cortex. Multi-echo EPI acquires several echoes at different echo times for every imaging slice, allowing images to be reconstructed with a weighting of echo times that is optimized individually for each voxel according to the underlying tissue or T2* properties. Here we show that multi-echo simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) EPI can improve functional activation of iron-rich subcortical regions while maintaining sensitivity within cortical areas. Functional imaging during a motor task known to elicit strong activations in the cortex and the subcortex (basal ganglia) was performed to compare the performance of multi-echo SMS EPI to single-echo SMS EPI. Notably within both the caudate nucleus and putamen of the basal ganglia, multi-echo SMS EPI yielded higher tSNR (an average 84% increase) and CNR (an average 58% increase), an approximate 3-fold increase in supra-threshold voxels, and higher t-values (an average 39% increase). The degree of improvement in the group level t-statistics was negatively correlated to the underlying T2* of the voxels, such that the shorter the T2*, as in the iron-rich nuclei of the basal ganglia, the higher the improvement of t-values in the activated region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Puckett
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Saskia Bollmann
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Benedikt A Poser
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jake Palmer
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Markus Barth
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Ross Cunnington
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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16
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Improving fMRI in signal drop-out regions at 7 T by using tailored radio-frequency pulses: application to the ventral occipito-temporal cortex. MAGNETIC RESONANCE MATERIALS IN PHYSICS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2017; 31:257-267. [PMID: 28933028 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-017-0652-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Signal drop-off occurs in echo-planar imaging in inferior brain areas due to field gradients from susceptibility differences between air and tissue. Tailored-RF pulses based on a hyperbolic secant (HS) have been shown to partially recover signal at 3 T, but have not been tested at higher fields. MATERIALS AND METHODS The aim of this study was to compare the performance of an optimized tailored-RF gradient-echo echo-planar imaging (TRF GRE-EPI) sequence with standard GRE-EPI at 7 T, in a passive viewing of faces or objects fMRI paradigm in healthy subjects. RESULTS Increased temporal-SNR (tSNR) was observed in the middle and inferior temporal lobes and orbitofrontal cortex of all subjects scanned, but elsewhere tSNR decreased relative to the standard acquisition. In the TRF GRE-EPI, increased functional signal was observed in the fusiform, lateral occipital cortex, and occipital pole, regions known to be part of the visual pathway involved in face-object perception. CONCLUSION This work highlights the potential of TRF approaches at 7 T. Paired with a reversed-gradient distortion correction to compensate for in-plane susceptibility gradients, it provides an improved acquisition strategy for future neurocognitive studies at ultra-high field imaging in areas suffering from static magnetic field inhomogeneities.
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17
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Variable slice thickness (VAST) EPI for the reduction of susceptibility artifacts in whole-brain GE-EPI at 7 Tesla. MAGNETIC RESONANCE MATERIALS IN PHYSICS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2017; 30:591-607. [DOI: 10.1007/s10334-017-0641-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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18
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Roswandowitz C, Schelinski S, von Kriegstein K. Developmental phonagnosia: Linking neural mechanisms with the behavioural phenotype. Neuroimage 2017; 155:97-112. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.02.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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19
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Kogler L, Müller VI, Seidel EM, Boubela R, Kalcher K, Moser E, Habel U, Gur RC, Eickhoff SB, Derntl B. Sex differences in the functional connectivity of the amygdalae in association with cortisol. Neuroimage 2016; 134:410-423. [PMID: 27039701 PMCID: PMC6594554 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Human amygdalae are involved in various behavioral functions such as affective and stress processing. For these behavioral functions, as well as for psychophysiological arousal including cortisol release, sex differences are reported. Here, we assessed cortisol levels and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of left and right amygdalae in 81 healthy participants (42 women) to investigate potential modulation of amygdala rsFC by sex and cortisol concentration. Our analyses revealed that rsFC of the left amygdala significantly differed between women and men: Women showed stronger rsFC than men between the left amygdala and left middle temporal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, postcentral gyrus and hippocampus, regions involved in face processing, inner-speech, fear and pain processing. No stronger connections were detected for men and no sex difference emerged for right amygdala rsFC. Also, an interaction of sex and cortisol appeared: In women, cortisol was negatively associated with rsFC of the amygdalae with striatal regions, mid-orbital frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, middle and superior frontal gyri, supplementary motor area and the parietal-occipital sulcus. Contrarily in men, positive associations of cortisol with rsFC of the left amygdala and these structures were observed. Functional decoding analyses revealed an association of the amygdalae and these regions with emotion, reward and memory processing, as well as action execution. Our results suggest that functional connectivity of the amygdalae as well as the regulatory effect of cortisol on brain networks differs between women and men. These sex-differences and the mediating and sex-dependent effect of cortisol on brain communication systems should be taken into account in affective and stress-related neuroimaging research. Thus, more studies including both sexes are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Kogler
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Tübingen, Germany; Jülich-Aachen-Research Alliance, Translational Brain Medicine, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Veronika I Müller
- Institute of Neuroscience und Medicine, INM-1, Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Eva-Maria Seidel
- Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Roland Boubela
- MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Centre for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University, Vienna, Austria
| | - Klaudius Kalcher
- MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Centre for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ewald Moser
- MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Centre for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University, Vienna, Austria; Neuropsychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Ute Habel
- Jülich-Aachen-Research Alliance, Translational Brain Medicine, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience und Medicine, INM-6, Research Centre Jülich, Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; JARA BRAIN Institute 1: Structure Function Relationship
| | - Ruben C Gur
- Neuropsychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Neuroscience und Medicine, INM-1, Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Tübingen, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience und Medicine, INM-1, Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Jülich-Aachen-Research Alliance, Translational Brain Medicine, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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20
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Chang C, Raven EP, Duyn JH. Brain-heart interactions: challenges and opportunities with functional magnetic resonance imaging at ultra-high field. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2016; 374:rsta.2015.0188. [PMID: 27044994 PMCID: PMC4822447 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2015.0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at ultra-high field (UHF) strengths (7 T and above) offers unique opportunities for studying the human brain with increased spatial resolution, contrast and sensitivity. However, its reliability can be compromised by factors such as head motion, image distortion and non-neural fluctuations of the functional MRI signal. The objective of this review is to provide a critical discussion of the advantages and trade-offs associated with UHF imaging, focusing on the application to studying brain-heart interactions. We describe how UHF MRI may provide contrast and resolution benefits for measuring neural activity of regions involved in the control and mediation of autonomic processes, and in delineating such regions based on anatomical MRI contrast. Limitations arising from confounding signals are discussed, including challenges with distinguishing non-neural physiological effects from the neural signals of interest that reflect cardiorespiratory function. We also consider how recently developed data analysis techniques may be applied to high-field imaging data to uncover novel information about brain-heart interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catie Chang
- Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Erika P Raven
- Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Jeff H Duyn
- Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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21
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Iranpour J, Morrot G, Claise B, Jean B, Bonny JM. Using High Spatial Resolution to Improve BOLD fMRI Detection at 3T. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141358. [PMID: 26550990 PMCID: PMC4638337 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
For different functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments using blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast, the acquisition of T2*-weighted scans at a high spatial resolution may be advantageous in terms of time-course signal-to-noise ratio and of BOLD sensitivity when the regions are prone to susceptibility artifacts. In this study, we explore this solution by examining how spatial resolution influences activations elicited when appetizing food pictures are viewed. Twenty subjects were imaged at 3 T with two different voxel volumes, 3.4 μl and 27 μl. Despite the diminution of brain coverage, we found that high-resolution acquisition led to a better detection of activations. Though known to suffer to different degrees from susceptibility artifacts, the activations detected by high spatial resolution were notably consistent with those reported in published activation likelihood estimation meta-analyses, corresponding to taste-responsive regions. Furthermore, these regions were found activated bilaterally, in contrast with previous findings. Both the reduction of partial volume effect, which improves BOLD contrast, and the mitigation of susceptibility artifact, which boosts the signal to noise ratio in certain regions, explained the better detection noted with high resolution. The present study provides further evidences that high spatial resolution is a valuable solution for human BOLD fMRI, especially for studying food-related stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gil Morrot
- Laboratoire Charles Coulomb—UMR 5221 CNRS, Université des Sciences et Techniques—Montpellier 2, place Eugène-Bataillon, 34090, Montpellier, France
| | - Béatrice Claise
- Neuroradiologie A, Plateforme Recherche IRM—CHU Gabriel-Montpied, F63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Betty Jean
- Neuroradiologie A, Plateforme Recherche IRM—CHU Gabriel-Montpied, F63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Jean-Marie Bonny
- UR370 QuaPA—INRA, F-63122, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
- * E-mail:
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22
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Boubela RN, Kalcher K, Huf W, Seidel EM, Derntl B, Pezawas L, Našel C, Moser E. fMRI measurements of amygdala activation are confounded by stimulus correlated signal fluctuation in nearby veins draining distant brain regions. Sci Rep 2015; 5:10499. [PMID: 25994551 PMCID: PMC4440210 DOI: 10.1038/srep10499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Imaging the amygdala with functional MRI is confounded by multiple averse factors, notably signal dropouts due to magnetic inhomogeneity and low signal-to-noise ratio, making it difficult to obtain consistent activation patterns in this region. However, even when consistent signal changes are identified, they are likely to be due to nearby vessels, most notably the basal vein of rosenthal (BVR). Using an accelerated fMRI sequence with a high temporal resolution (TR = 333 ms) combined with susceptibility-weighted imaging, we show how signal changes in the amygdala region can be related to a venous origin. This finding is confirmed here in both a conventional fMRI dataset (TR = 2000 ms) as well as in information of meta-analyses, implying that “amygdala activations” reported in typical fMRI studies are likely confounded by signals originating in the BVR rather than in the amygdala itself, thus raising concerns about many conclusions on the functioning of the amygdala that rely on fMRI evidence alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland N Boubela
- 1] Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria [2] MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Klaudius Kalcher
- 1] Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria [2] MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Huf
- 1] Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria [2] MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva-Maria Seidel
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Lukas Pezawas
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Našel
- Department of Radiology, Tulln Hospital, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Tulln, Austria
| | - Ewald Moser
- 1] Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria [2] MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria [3] Brain Behaviour Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Wastling SJ, Barker GJ. Designing hyperbolic secant excitation pulses to reduce signal dropout in gradient-echo echo-planar imaging. Magn Reson Med 2014; 74:661-72. [PMID: 25203420 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.25444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Revised: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To design hyperbolic secant (HS) excitation pulses to reduce signal dropout in the orbitofrontal and inferior temporal regions in gradient-echo echo-planar imaging (GE-EPI) for functional MRI (fMRI) applications. METHODS An algorithm based on Bloch simulations optimizes the HS pulse parameters needed to give the desired signal response across the range of susceptibility gradients observed in the human head (approximately ±250 μT·m(-1) ). The impact of the HS pulse on the signal, temporal signal-to-noise ratio, blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) sensitivity, and ability to detect resting state BOLD signal changes was assessed in six healthy male volunteers at 3T. RESULTS The optimized HS pulse (μ = 4.25, β = 3040 Hz, A0 = 12.3 μT, Δf = 4598 Hz) had a near uniform signal response for through-plane susceptibility gradients in the range ±250 μT·m(-1) . Signal, temporal signal-to-noise ratio, BOLD sensitivity, and the detectability of resting state networks were all partially recovered in the orbitofrontal and inferior temporal regions; however, there were signal losses of up to 50% in regions of homogeneous field (and signal loss from in-plane susceptibility gradients remained). CONCLUSION The HS pulse reduced signal dropout and could be used to acquire task and resting state fMRI data without loss of spatial coverage or temporal resolution.
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24
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Boyacioğlu R, Schulz J, Müller NC, Koopmans PJ, Barth M, Norris DG. Whole brain, high resolution multiband spin-echo EPI fMRI at 7T: A comparison with gradient-echo EPI using a color-word Stroop task. Neuroimage 2014; 97:142-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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Boubela RN, Kalcher K, Nasel C, Moser E. Scanning fast and slow: current limitations of 3 Tesla functional MRI and future potential. FRONTIERS IN PHYSICS 2014; 2:00001. [PMID: 28164083 PMCID: PMC5291320 DOI: 10.3389/fphy.2014.00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Functional MRI at 3T has become a workhorse for the neurosciences, e.g., neurology, psychology, and psychiatry, enabling non-invasive investigation of brain function and connectivity. However, BOLD-based fMRI is a rather indirect measure of brain function, confounded by physiology related signals, e.g., head or brain motion, brain pulsation, blood flow, intermixed with susceptibility differences close or distant to the region of neuronal activity. Even though a plethora of preprocessing strategies have been published to address these confounds, their efficiency is still under discussion. In particular, physiological signal fluctuations closely related to brain supply may mask BOLD signal changes related to "true" neuronal activation. Here we explore recent technical and methodological advancements aimed at disentangling the various components, employing fast multiband vs. standard EPI, in combination with fast temporal ICA. Our preliminary results indicate that fast (TR <0.5 s) scanning may help to identify and eliminate physiologic components, increasing tSNR and functional contrast. In addition, biological variability can be studied and task performance better correlated to other measures. This should increase specificity and reliability in fMRI studies. Furthermore, physiological signal changes during scanning may then be recognized as a source of information rather than a nuisance. As we are currently still undersampling the complexity of the brain, even at a rather coarse macroscopic level, we should be very cautious in the interpretation of neuroscientific findings, in particular when comparing different groups (e.g., age, sex, medication, pathology, etc.). From a technical point of view our goal should be to sample brain activity at layer specific resolution with low TR, covering as much of the brain as possible without violating SAR limits. We hope to stimulate discussion toward a better understanding and a more quantitative use of fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland N. Boubela
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Klaudius Kalcher
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Nasel
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Radiology, State Clinical Center Danube District, Tulln, Austria
| | - Ewald Moser
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Department Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Arnold Anteraper S, Triantafyllou C, Sawyer AT, Hofmann SG, Gabrieli JD, Whitfield-Gabrieli S. Hyper-connectivity of subcortical resting-state networks in social anxiety disorder. Brain Connect 2014; 4:81-90. [PMID: 24279709 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2013.0180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder-related alterations in basal ganglia regions, such as striatum and globus pallidus, though evident from metabolic imaging, remain to be explored using seed-based resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging. Capitalizing on the enhanced sensitivity of a multichannel array coil, we collected high-resolution (2-mm isotropic) data from medication-naive patients and healthy control participants. Subcortical resting-state networks from structures including the striatum (caudate and putamen), globus pallidus, thalamus, amygdala, and periaqueductal gray were compared between the two groups. When compared with controls, the caudate seed revealed significantly higher functional connectivity (hyper-connectivity) in the patient group in medial frontal, prefrontal (anterior and dorsolateral), orbito-frontal, and anterior cingulate cortices, which are regions that are typically associated with emotional processing. In addition, with the putamen seed, the patient data exhibited increased connectivity in the fronto-parietal regions (executive control network) and subgenual cingulate (affective network). The globus pallidus seed showed significant increases in connectivity in the patient group, primarily in the precuneus, which is part of the default mode network. Significant hyper-connectivity in the precuneus, interior temporal, and parahippocampal cortices was also observed with the thalamus seed in the patient population, when compared with controls. With amygdala as seed region, between-group differences were primarily in supplementary motor area, inferior temporal gyrus, secondary visual cortex, angular gyrus, and cingulate gyrus. Seed from periaqueductal gray resulted in hyper-connectivity in the patient group, when compared with controls, in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, precuneus, middle temporal gyrus, and inferior parietal lobule. In all the subcortical regions examined in this study, the control group did not have any significant enhancements in functional connectivity when compared with the patient group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheeba Arnold Anteraper
- 1 A.A. Martinos Imaging Center, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts
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Geißler A, Fischmeister FPS, Grabner G, Wurnig M, Rath J, Foki T, Matt E, Trattnig S, Beisteiner R, Robinson SD. Comparing the Microvascular Specificity of the 3- and 7-T BOLD Response Using ICA and Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:474. [PMID: 23950744 PMCID: PMC3739379 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In functional MRI it is desirable for the blood-oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal to be localized to the tissue containing activated neurons rather than the veins draining that tissue. This study addresses the dependence of the specificity of the BOLD signal – the relative contribution of the BOLD signal arising from tissue compared to venous vessels – on magnetic field strength. To date, studies of specificity have been based on models or indirect measures of BOLD sensitivity such as signal to noise ratio and relaxation rates, and assessment has been made in isolated vein and tissue voxels. The consensus has been that ultra-high field systems not only significantly increase BOLD sensitivity but also specificity, that is, there is a proportionately reduced signal contribution from draining veins. Specificity was not quantified in prior studies, however, due to the difficulty of establishing a reliable network of veins in the activated volume. In this study we use a map of venous vessel networks extracted from 7 T high resolution Susceptibility-Weighted Images to quantify the relative contributions of micro- and macro-vasculature to functional MRI results obtained at 3 and 7 T. High resolution measurements made here minimize the contribution of physiological noise and Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is used to separate activation from technical, physiological, and motion artifacts. ICA also avoids the possibility of timing-dependent bias from different micro- and macro-vasculature responses. We find a significant increase in the number of activated voxels at 7 T in both the veins and the microvasculature – a BOLD sensitivity increase – with the increase in the microvasculature being higher. However, the small increase in sensitivity at 7 T was not significant. For the experimental conditions of this study, our findings do not support the hypothesis of an increased specificity of the BOLD response at ultra-high field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Geißler
- Study Group Clinical fMRI, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria ; High Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria
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Schöpf V, Fischmeister FPS, Windischberger C, Gerstl F, Wolzt M, Karlsson KÆ, Moser E. Effects of individual glucose levels on the neuronal correlates of emotions. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:212. [PMID: 23734117 PMCID: PMC3659280 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to directly assess the effect of changes in blood glucose levels on the psychological processing of emotionally charged material. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate the effect of blood glucose levels on three categories of visually presented emotional stimuli. Seventeen healthy young subjects participated in this study (eight females; nine males; body weight, 69.3 ± 14.9 kg; BMI, 22 ± 2.7; age, 24 ± 3 years), consisting of two functional MRI sessions: (1) after an overnight fast under resting conditions (before glucose administration); (2) after reaching the hyperglycemic state (after glucose administration). During each session, subjects were presented with visual stimuli featuring funny, neutral, and sad content. Single-subject ratings of the stimuli were used to verify the selection of stimuli for each category and were covariates for the fMRI analysis. Analysis of the interaction effect of the two sessions (eu- and hyperglycemia), and the emotional categories accounting for the single-subject glucose differences, revealed a single activation cluster in the hypothalamus. Analysis of the activation profile of the left amygdala corresponded to the three emotional conditions, and this profile was obtained for both sessions regardless of glucose level. Our results indicate that, in a hyperglycemic state, the hypothalamus can no longer respond to emotions. This study offers novel insight for the understanding of disease-related behavior associated with dysregulation of glucose and glucose availability, potentially offering improved diagnostic and novel therapeutic strategies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Schöpf
- MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University Vienna Vienna, Austria ; Center of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University Vienna Vienna, Austria ; Division of Neuro- and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Radiology, Medical University Vienna Vienna, Austria
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Derntl B, Habel U, Robinson S, Windischberger C, Kryspin-Exner I, Gur RC, Moser E. Culture but not gender modulates amygdala activation during explicit emotion recognition. BMC Neurosci 2012; 13:54. [PMID: 22642400 PMCID: PMC3404024 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-13-54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2011] [Accepted: 05/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Mounting evidence indicates that humans have significant difficulties in understanding emotional expressions from individuals of different ethnic backgrounds, leading to reduced recognition accuracy and stronger amygdala activation. However, the impact of gender on the behavioral and neural reactions during the initial phase of cultural assimilation has not been addressed. Therefore, we investigated 24 Asians students (12 females) and 24 age-matched European students (12 females) during an explicit emotion recognition task, using Caucasian facial expressions only, on a high-field MRI scanner. Results Analysis of functional data revealed bilateral amygdala activation to emotional expressions in Asian and European subjects. However, in the Asian sample, a stronger response of the amygdala emerged and was paralleled by reduced recognition accuracy, particularly for angry male faces. Moreover, no significant gender difference emerged. We also observed a significant inverse correlation between duration of stay and amygdala activation. Conclusion In this study we investigated the “alien-effect” as an initial problem during cultural assimilation and examined this effect on a behavioral and neural level. This study has revealed bilateral amygdala activation to emotional expressions in Asian and European females and males. In the Asian sample, a stronger response of the amygdala bilaterally was observed and this was paralleled by reduced performance, especially for anger and disgust depicted by male expressions. However, no gender difference occurred. Taken together, while gender exerts only a subtle effect, culture and duration of stay as well as gender of poser are shown to be relevant factors for emotion processing, influencing not only behavioral but also neural responses in female and male immigrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Derntl
- MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Shafer A, Iordan A, Cabeza R, Dolcos F. Brain imaging investigation of the memory-enhancing effect of emotion. J Vis Exp 2011:2433. [PMID: 21587158 DOI: 10.3791/2433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotional events tend to be better remembered than non-emotional events. One goal of cognitive and affective neuroscientists is to understand the neural mechanisms underlying this enhancing effect of emotion on memory. A method that has proven particularly influential in the investigation of the memory-enhancing effect of emotion is the so-called subsequent memory paradigm (SMP). This method was originally used to investigate the neural correlates of non-emotional memories, and more recently we and others also applied it successfully to studies of emotional memory (reviewed in). Here, we describe a protocol that allows investigation of the neural correlates of the memory-enhancing effect of emotion using the SMP in conjunction with event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). An important feature of the SMP is that it allows separation of brain activity specifically associated with memory from more general activity associated with perception. Moreover, in the context of investigating the impact of emotional stimuli, SMP allows identification of brain regions whose activity is susceptible to emotional modulation of both general/perceptual and memory-specific processing. This protocol can be used in healthy subjects, as well as in clinical patients where there are alterations in the neural correlates of emotion perception and biases in remembering emotional events, such as those suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Sagaspe P, Schwartz S, Vuilleumier P. Fear and stop: A role for the amygdala in motor inhibition by emotional signals. Neuroimage 2011; 55:1825-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2010] [Revised: 12/22/2010] [Accepted: 01/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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Chang C, Glover GH. Variable-density spiral-in/out functional magnetic resonance imaging. Magn Reson Med 2010; 65:1287-96. [PMID: 21500257 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.22722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2010] [Revised: 10/12/2010] [Accepted: 10/17/2010] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
A variable-density spiral k-space trajectory is introduced for brain functional magnetic resonance imaging. The proposed spiral trajectory consists of an Archimedean spiral from the k-space origin to an arbitrary fraction r of the maximum k-space radius, extending beyond this point with a variable-density spiral in which the sampling density decreases as the k-space radius increases. It, therefore, permits a reduction in readout time at the expense of undersampling only the high spatial frequencies, in which the energy in T(2)*-weighted brain images is low. The trajectory was implemented in a two-dimensional spiral-in/out sequence, and single-shot high-resolution (1.72 × 1.72 mm(2) in-plane) functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from human volunteers. Compared with a two-shot fully Archimedean spiral sequence with the same spatial coverage and total scan time, the variable-density sequence yielded greater activation magnitudes with improved temporal efficiency and minor artifacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catie Chang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.
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Lin P, Hasson U, Jovicich J, Robinson S. A neuronal basis for task-negative responses in the human brain. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 21:821-30. [PMID: 20805236 PMCID: PMC3059884 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhq151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have revealed a number of brain regions that show a reduced blood oxygenation level–dependent (BOLD) signal during externally directed tasks compared with a resting baseline. These regions constitute a network whose operation has become known as the default mode. The source of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signal reductions in the default mode during task performance has not been resolved, however. It may be attributable to neuronal effects (neuronal firing), physiological effects (e.g., task vs. rest differences in respiration rate), or even increases in neuronal activity with an atypical blood response. To establish the source of signal decreases in the default mode, we used the calibrated fMRI method to quantify changes in the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in those regions that typically show reductions in BOLD signal during a demanding cognitive task. CBF:CMRO2 coupling during task-negative responses were linear, with a coupling constant similar to that in task-positive regions, indicating a neuronal source for signal reductions in multiple brain areas. We also identify, for the first time, two modes of neuronal activity in this network; one in which greater deactivation (characterized by metabolic rate reductions) is associated with more effort and one where it is associated with less effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Lin
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38100 Mattarello, Italy
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Moser E, Meyerspeer M, Fischmeister FPS, Grabner G, Bauer H, Trattnig S. Windows on the human body--in vivo high-field magnetic resonance research and applications in medicine and psychology. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2010; 10:5724-57. [PMID: 22219684 PMCID: PMC3247729 DOI: 10.3390/s100605724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2010] [Revised: 04/02/2010] [Accepted: 05/17/2010] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Analogous to the evolution of biological sensor-systems, the progress in "medical sensor-systems", i.e., diagnostic procedures, is paradigmatically described. Outstanding highlights of this progress are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS), which enable non-invasive, in vivo acquisition of morphological, functional, and metabolic information from the human body with unsurpassed quality. Recent achievements in high and ultra-high field MR (at 3 and 7 Tesla) are described, and representative research applications in Medicine and Psychology in Austria are discussed. Finally, an overview of current and prospective research in multi-modal imaging, potential clinical applications, as well as current limitations and challenges is given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewald Moser
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; E-Mails: (M.M.); (F.Ph.S.F.); (G.G.); (S.T.)
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Meyerspeer
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; E-Mails: (M.M.); (F.Ph.S.F.); (G.G.); (S.T.)
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Ph. S. Fischmeister
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; E-Mails: (M.M.); (F.Ph.S.F.); (G.G.); (S.T.)
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Brain Research Lab, Department of Clinical, Biological and Differential Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, A-1010 Vienna, Austria; E-Mail:
| | - Günther Grabner
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; E-Mails: (M.M.); (F.Ph.S.F.); (G.G.); (S.T.)
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Herbert Bauer
- Brain Research Lab, Department of Clinical, Biological and Differential Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, A-1010 Vienna, Austria; E-Mail:
| | - Siegfried Trattnig
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; E-Mails: (M.M.); (F.Ph.S.F.); (G.G.); (S.T.)
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Karlsson KAE, Windischberger C, Gerstl F, Mayr W, Siegel JM, Moser E. Modulation of hypothalamus and amygdalar activation levels with stimulus valence. Neuroimage 2010; 51:324-8. [PMID: 20156568 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2009] [Revised: 02/05/2010] [Accepted: 02/10/2010] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In spite of long-standing evidence showing that the hypothalamus is instrumental in generating behaviors associated with positive and negative emotions, little is known about the role of the hypothalamus in normal human emotional processing. Recent findings have suggested that the hypothalamus plays a role beyond mere control of HPA-axis function; this is also supported by the existence of rich anatomical connections between the hypothalamus and the amygdala, a region known for its important role in emotional processing. However, evidence of emotion-induced hypothalamic activity from neuroimaging studies has been inconsistent, possibly due to methodological limitations (e.g., low spatial resolution). Taking advantage of recent improvements in fMRI technology we set out to explore a possible valence-dependent modulation of hypothalamic activity. Using second order parametric analysis of high-resolution BOLD fMRI, we assessed hypothalamic activation patterns during passive viewing of visual stimuli of varying valence, and compared the results with the activity pattern in the amygdalae, i.e. nuclei with known valence-dependent activity profiles. We show that both hypothalamic and amygdalar activation is modulated by the second-order stimulus valence term, i.e., there is increased neural activity following the processing of both positive and negative stimuli. Our results suggest that the hypothalamus may serve a role in generating emotions broader than generally assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A E Karlsson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Science and Engineering, Reykjavik University, Reykjavik, Iceland
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Robinson S, Basso G, Soldati N, Sailer U, Jovicich J, Bruzzone L, Kryspin-Exner I, Bauer H, Moser E. A resting state network in the motor control circuit of the basal ganglia. BMC Neurosci 2009; 10:137. [PMID: 19930640 PMCID: PMC2785820 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-10-137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2009] [Accepted: 11/23/2009] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the absence of overt stimuli, the brain shows correlated fluctuations in functionally related brain regions. Approximately ten largely independent resting state networks (RSNs) showing this behaviour have been documented to date. Recent studies have reported the existence of an RSN in the basal ganglia - albeit inconsistently and without the means to interpret its function. Using two large study groups with different resting state conditions and MR protocols, the reproducibility of the network across subjects, behavioural conditions and acquisition parameters is assessed. Independent Component Analysis (ICA), combined with novel analyses of temporal features, is applied to establish the basis of signal fluctuations in the network and its relation to other RSNs. Reference to prior probabilistic diffusion tractography work is used to identify the basal ganglia circuit to which these fluctuations correspond. RESULTS An RSN is identified in the basal ganglia and thalamus, comprising the pallidum, putamen, subthalamic nucleus and substantia nigra, with a projection also to the supplementary motor area. Participating nuclei and thalamo-cortical connection probabilities allow this network to be identified as the motor control circuit of the basal ganglia. The network was reproducibly identified across subjects, behavioural conditions (fixation, eyes closed), field strength and echo-planar imaging parameters. It shows a frequency peak at 0.025 +/- 0.007 Hz and is most similar in spectral composition to the Default Mode (DM), a network of regions that is more active at rest than during task processing. Frequency features allow the network to be classified as an RSN rather than a physiological artefact. Fluctuations in this RSN are correlated with those in the task-positive fronto-parietal network and anticorrelated with those in the DM, whose hemodynamic response it anticipates. CONCLUSION Although the basal ganglia RSN has not been reported in most ICA-based studies using a similar methodology, we demonstrate that it is reproducible across subjects, common resting state conditions and imaging parameters, and show that it corresponds with the motor control circuit. This characterisation of the basal ganglia network opens a potential means to investigate the motor-related neuropathologies in which the basal ganglia are involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Robinson
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gianpaolo Basso
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Nicola Soldati
- Telecommunication Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Uta Sailer
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jorge Jovicich
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Bruzzone
- Telecommunication Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Ilse Kryspin-Exner
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Herbert Bauer
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ewald Moser
- MR Center of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Center for Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Derntl B, Habel U, Windischberger C, Robinson S, Kryspin-Exner I, Gur RC, Moser E. General and specific responsiveness of the amygdala during explicit emotion recognition in females and males. BMC Neurosci 2009; 10:91. [PMID: 19653893 PMCID: PMC2728725 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-10-91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2008] [Accepted: 08/04/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ability to recognize emotions in facial expressions relies on an extensive neural network with the amygdala as the key node as has typically been demonstrated for the processing of fearful stimuli. A sufficient characterization of the factors influencing and modulating amygdala function, however, has not been reached now. Due to lacking or diverging results on its involvement in recognizing all or only certain negative emotions, the influence of gender or ethnicity is still under debate. This high-resolution fMRI study addresses some of the relevant parameters, such as emotional valence, gender and poser ethnicity on amygdala activation during facial emotion recognition in 50 Caucasian subjects. Stimuli were color photographs of emotional Caucasian and African American faces. RESULTS Bilateral amygdala activation was obtained to all emotional expressions (anger, disgust, fear, happy, and sad) and neutral faces across all subjects. However, only in males a significant correlation of amygdala activation and behavioral response to fearful stimuli was observed, indicating higher amygdala responses with better fear recognition, thus pointing to subtle gender differences. No significant influence of poser ethnicity on amygdala activation occurred, but analysis of recognition accuracy revealed a significant impact of poser ethnicity that was emotion-dependent. CONCLUSION Applying high-resolution fMRI while subjects were performing an explicit emotion recognition task revealed bilateral amygdala activation to all emotions presented and neutral expressions. This mechanism seems to operate similarly in healthy females and males and for both in-group and out-group ethnicities. Our results support the assumption that an intact amygdala response is fundamental in the processing of these salient stimuli due to its relevance detecting function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Derntl
- MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Clinical, Biological and Differential Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Institute for Clinical, Biological and Differential Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Christian Windischberger
- MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Medical University of Vienna, Währingerstrasse 18, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Robinson
- MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Center of Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Via delle Regole 101, 38060 Mattarello, Italy
| | - Ilse Kryspin-Exner
- Institute for Clinical, Biological and Differential Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ruben C Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, 3100 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Ewald Moser
- MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Medical University of Vienna, Währingerstrasse 18, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, 3100 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, USA
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Derntl B, Habel U, Robinson S, Windischberger C, Kryspin-Exner I, Gur RC, Moser E. Amygdala activation during recognition of emotions in a foreign ethnic group is associated with duration of stay. Soc Neurosci 2009; 4:294-307. [DOI: 10.1080/17470910802571633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Derntl
- a Medical University of Vienna, and University of Vienna , Vienna, Austria
- b RWTH Aachen University , Aachen, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- b RWTH Aachen University , Aachen, Germany
- c Medical University of Vienna , Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Robinson
- c Medical University of Vienna , Vienna, Austria
- d University of Trento , Mattarello, Italy
| | | | | | - Ruben C. Gur
- f University of Pennsylvania Medical School , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ewald Moser
- c Medical University of Vienna , Vienna, Austria
- f University of Pennsylvania Medical School , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Derntl B, Windischberger C, Robinson S, Kryspin-Exner I, Gur RC, Moser E, Habel U. Amygdala activity to fear and anger in healthy young males is associated with testosterone. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2009; 34:687-93. [PMID: 19136216 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2008] [Revised: 10/27/2008] [Accepted: 11/23/2008] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have documented modulation of the activity of the amygdala - a key node in the neural network underlying emotion perception and processing, and one that has also been associated with regulating aggression - by exogenous testosterone. However, results on the impact of normal range testosterone levels on explicit emotion recognition as a prerequisite for social interaction and amygdala activation in healthy young males are missing. Hence, we performed functional MRI at 3T in a group of 21 healthy males during explicit emotion recognition with a protocol specifically optimized to reliably detect amygdala activation. We observed similar amygdala activation to all emotions presented without any effect of gender of poser or laterality. Reaction times to fearful male faces were found negatively correlated to testosterone concentration, while no significant effects emerged for other emotions and neutral expressions. Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive association between testosterone levels and amygdala response to fearful and angry facial expressions, but not to other expressions. Hence, our results demonstrate that testosterone levels affect amygdala activation and also behavioral responses particularly to threat-related emotions in healthy young males. We conclude that these findings add to our understanding of emotion processing and its modulation by neuroendocrine factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Derntl
- MR Centre of Excellence, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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